130 Christian truth, not light only but strength. CONF. to agree with the testimonies of the Law and the Prophets. B. VII. And the face of that pure word appeared to me one and the Ps.2,11. same; and I learned to rejoice with trembling. So I began; 4, 7. 22. Ver. 23. and whatsoever truth I had read in those other books, I found here amid the praise of Thy Grace'; that whoso sees, 1 Cor. may not so glory as if he had not received, not only what he sees, but also that he sees, (for what hath he, which he hath not received?) and that he may be not only admonished to behold Thee, Who art ever the same, but also healed, to hold Thee; and that he who cannot see afar off, may yet walk on the way, whereby he may arrive, and behold, and hold Thee. For, Rom. 7, though a man be delighted with the law of God after the inner man, what shall he do with that other law in his members which warreth against the law of his mind, and bringeth him into captivity to the law of sin which is in his Song of members? For, Thou art righteous, O Lord, but we have sinned and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and dren, 4 Thy hand is grown heavy upon us, and we are justly delivered over unto that antient sinner, the king of death; because he persuaded our will to be like his will, whereby he abode not Rom. 7, in Thy truth. What shall wretched man do? who shall deliver him from the body of this death, but only Thy Grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, whom Thou hast begotten coeternal, Prov. 8, and formedstTM in the beginning of Thy ways, in whom the the 3 Chil sqq. 24. 22. 1" By a most deep and healthful mystery, the whole face, and (so to speak) countenance of Holy Scripture is found to admonish those who duly behold it, that whoso glorieth should glory in the Lord." Aug. Enchirid. c. 98. m Creasti, from the LXX, TIE. S. Aug. understands the passage (as is implied in this place) of the human nature of our Lord, and the beginning of His ways,' of the beginning of coming to Him. "He who was pleased to give Himself not only as the possession of those who should come to the end, but also as the way to those who would come, was pleased to take upon Him flesh; whence also is that saying, 'The Lord created Me in the beginning of his ways,' that they should begin thence, who wished to come-from whom all must set off and begin their journey, who desire to come to the truth and abide in Eternal Life." Aug. de Doctr. Christ. i. §. 38. "With 6 reference to the form of God,' it is said, Platonism has no reference to man's wants. 131 32. prince of this world found nothing worthy of death, yet killed he Him"; and the handwriting, which was contrary to us, John 14, was blotted out? This those writings contain not. Those Col. 2, pages present not the image of this piety, the tears of confes- 14. sion, Thy sacrifice, a troubled spirit, a broken and a contrite Ps. 51, heart, the salvation of the people, the Bridal City, the earnest of the Holy Ghost, the Cup of our Redemption. No man sings 2 Cor. there, Shall not my soul be submitted unto God? for of Him 5, 5. Wisdom which was begotten of God, deigned also to be created among men. Whereto belongeth, 'The Lord created Me,'&c. for the beginning of His ways'is the Head of the Church, which is Christ clothed with man, through whom an ensample of life might be given us, whereby to arrive at God." De fide et Symb. §. 6. S. Athanas. in like way, Orat. ii. c. Ariann. §. 47. "The Lord knowing His own Nature to be the Only-Begotten Wisdom, and Production of the Father, and other than things of a produced and created nature, says in His love to man, "The Lord &c.' as if He had said, the Father' prepared Me a body,' and created Me for man for the salvation of man. For as when we hear John say the Word became flesh,' we do not understand that the whole Word was flesh, but that it clothed itself with flesh and became man, or when we hear that' Christ became a curse for us,' and that He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,' that He became wholly a curse and a sin, but that He took upon Him our curse and bore our sins, (Ĝal. 3, 13. Is. 53, 4. 1 Pet. 2, 24.) so when we hear in the Proverbs the word created,' we may not think that the Word is wholly a creature, but that God created Him 'having prepared for Him,' as is written, a created body,' that in Him we might be capable of being renewed and deified." (Comp. de Decret. Nic. Syn. §. 14.) With regard to the difference of rendering xris ( Syr. Ch.) and ixr Jaro (Aq. Theod. Symm. Jer.) it is in appearance more than in reality, for as S. Athanas. argues, (c. Arian. Orat. ii. §. 48. comp. Dionysius ap. Athanas. de Decret. Nic. Syn. §. 26. Hilar. de Synodis, §. 17.) since 'creating,' in the sense of making,' is inconsistent with the fact of Sonship, therefore it must be taken in some other sense consistent with it, (as in Ps. 101, 19. '50, 12. Eph.2, 15. Eph. 4, 24. Jer. 21, 22.) Wisdom is not here called a creature, though it is said God formed It," (ib.) that the question does not turn on words, "that the word is a thing indifferent, if the Nature be agreed upon, for words do not destroy the Nature, but rather the Nature draws over and changes the words into itself, for words were not before the natures but the reverse," (ib. §. 3.)" that things created and made are external to the maker, but a son not so, but from the father who begat him; and a man forms (xi) a house, but begets a son, and one could not convert these and say that the house or ship were begotten by the maker, but the son formed and made by him;" (de decr. Nic. Syn. §. 13.) and "of human sons, if they be confessed to be sons, it matters not whether the word iyvoro, (Job 1, 2.) or ixrnoάuny, (Gen. 4, 1.) or irono, (Is. 38, 19. .) be used, for the nature of the case and the truth draw the meaning over to itself. Wherefore if any enquire, whether the Lord is a creature or made, you must first askis He a Son and Word and Wisdom?' for if this be shewn, then all notion of a creature is cast out at once and at rest." Orat. ii. c. Arian. §. 5. The passages then in which the Son is said to be begotten,' would be, in any case, a key to the meaning of exTo in this. This argument will equally hold, if as Hilary (de Trin. xii. §. 36.) seems to do, the passage be interpreted of the Coming forth (gośλsvos) of the Son to create the worlds. And so one may admit without scruple that has a sense which may be represented by Tire, 'formed, produced' (not simply possessed ;') corresponding with n v. 24, 25. 6 brought forth' and in distinct contrast with His works' (y). The modified meaning of xris, (as of course all words used of Divine truths must be modified) in S. Athanas. corresponds best with that of p, which is not one of the words used of proper creation. n See below 1. ix. §. 36. and note. 17. 2. Ps. 116, 12. 132 Heathenism at best only sees, cannot teach, the way to God. CONF. cometh my salvation. For He is my God and my salvation, B. VII. my guardian, I shall no more be moved. No one there hears Ps. 62, 1.2. Him call, Come unto Me all ye that labour. They scorn to Mat. 11, learn of Him, because He is meek and lowly in heart; for these things hast Thou hid from hast revealed them unto babes. Deut. mountain's shaggy top to see the 32, 49. 28. Ver. 29. the wise and prudent, and For it is one thing, from the land of peace, and to find no way thither; and in vain to essay through ways unpassable, opposed and beset by fugitives and deserters, under their captain the lion and the dragon: and another to keep on the way that leads thither, guarded by the host of the heavenly General; where they spoil not who have deserted the heavenly army; for they avoid it, as very torment. These things did 1 Cor. wonderfully sink into my bowels, when I read that least of Thy Apostles, and had meditated upon Thy works, and trembled exceedingly. 15, 9. • In giving an account of this period to his friend and patron Romanianus, S. Aug. seems to have blended together this and the history of his completed conversion, which was also wrought in connection with words in the same Apostle, but the account of which he uniformly suppresses, for fear probably of injuring the individual to whom he was writing. (see below on b. ix. §. 4.) "Since that vehement flame, which was about to seize me, as yet was not, I thought that by which I was slowly kindled, was the very greatest. When lo! certain books-when they had distilled a very few drops of most precious unguent on that tiny flame, it is past belief, Romanianus, past belief, and perhaps past what even you believe of me, (and what could I say more?) nay to myself also is it past belief, what a conflagration of myself they lighted. What ambition, what human show,what empty love of fame, or, lastly, what incitement or band of this mortal life could hold me then? I turned speedily and wholly back into myself. I cast but a glance, I confess, as one passing on, upon that religion which was implanted into us, as boys, and interwoven with our very inmost selves; but she drew me unknowing to herself. So then stumbling, hurrying, hesitating, I seized the Apostle Paul; 'for never,' said I, 'could they have wrought such things, or lived as it is plain they did live, if their writings and arguments were opposed to this so high good. I read the whole most intently and carefully. But then, never so little light having now been shed thereon,such a countenance of wisdom gleamed upon me, that if I could exhibit it,-I say not to you, who ever hungeredst after her though unknown-but to your very adversary, (see on b. vi. §. 24. p. 104. n. q.) casting aside and abandoning whatever now stimulates him so keenly to whatsoever pleasures, he would, amazed, panting, enkindled, fly to her Beauty." (c. Acad. ii. §. 5.) THE EIGHTH BOOK. Aug.'s thirty-second year. He consults Simplicianus, from him hears the history of the conversion of Victorinus, and longs to devote himself entirely to God, but is mastered by his old habits; is still further roused by the history of S. Antony, and the conversion of two courtiers; during a severe struggle, hears a voice from heaven, opens Scripture, and is converted, with his friend Alypius. His mother's vision fulfilled. 10. [I.] O my God, let me, with thanksgiving, remember, and confess unto Thee Thy mercies on me. Let my bones be Ps. 35, bedewed with Thy love, and let them say unto Thee, Who is Ps. 116, like unto Thee, O Lord? Thou hast broken my bonds in 16. 17. sunder, I will offer unto Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving. And how Thou hast broken them, I will declare; and all who worship Thee, when they hear this, shall say, "Blessed be the Lord, in heaven and in earth, great and wonderful is His name." Thy words had stuck fast in my heart, and I was hedged round Job 1, about on all sides by Thee. Of Thy eternal life I was now 10. certain, though I saw it in a figure and as through a glass. 1 Cor. Yet I had ceased to doubt that there was an incorruptible 13, 12. substance, whence was all other substance; nor did I now desire to be more certain of Thee, but more stedfast in Thee. But for my temporal life, all was wavering, and my 1 Cor. heart had to be purged from the old leaven. The Way, the 5,7. Saviour Himself, well pleased me, but as yet I shrunk from 6. going through its straitness. And Thou didst put into my mind, and it seemed good in my eyes, to go to Simplicianus, a Simplicianus became a successor of the most blessed Ambrose, Bishop of the Church of Milan.' (Aug. Retract. ii. 1.) To him S. Aug. wrote two books de diversis quæstionibus,' (Opp. t. vi. p. 82 sqq.) and calls him father,' (ib.) speaks of his fatherly affection from his most benevolent heart not recent or sudden, but tried and known," (Ep. 37.) requests his remarks and corrections of any books of his, which might chance to fall into his holy hands.' (ib.) S. Am brose mentions his 'having traversed the John 14, B.VIII. 134 Holding back in one point keeps back a man in all. CONF. who seemed to me a good servant of Thine; and Thy grace shone in him. I had heard also, that from his very youth he had lived most devoted unto Thee. Now he was grown into years; and by reason of so great age spent in such zealous following of Thy ways, he seemed to me likely to have learned much experience; and so he had. Out of which store, I wished that he would tell me (setting before him my anxieties) which were the fittest way for one in my case to walk in Thy paths. 7,8. 2. For, I saw the church full; and one went this way, and another that way. But I was displeased, that I led a secular life; yea now that my desires no longer inflamed me, as of old, with hopes of honour and profit, a very grievous burthen it was to undergo so heavy a bondage. Ps.26,8. For, in comparison of Thy sweetness, and the beauty of Thy house which I loved, those things delighted me no longer. But still I was enthralled with the love of woman; nor did the Apostle forbid me to marry, although he advised me to some1 Cor. thing better, chiefly wishing that all men were as himself was. But I being weak, chose the more indulgent place; and because of this alone, was tossed up and down in all beside, faint and wasted with withering cares, because in other matters, I was constrained against my will to conform myself to a married life, to which I was given up and inthralled. Mat. 19, I had heard from the mouth of the Truth, that there were some eunuchs, which had made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake: but, saith He, let him who can receive it receive it. Surely vain are all men who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things which are seen, find out Him who is good. But I was no longer in that vanity; I had surmounted it; and by the common witness of all Thy creatures, had found Thee our Creator, and Thy Word, God with Thee, and together with Thee one God, by whom Thou createdst all things. There is yet another kind Rom. 1, of ungodly, who knowing God, glorified Him not as God, 21. neither were thankful. Into this also had I fallen, but Thy 35. right hand upheld me, and took me thence, and Thou placedst Job 28, me where I might recover. For Thou hast said unto man, Prov. 3, Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and, Desire not to Rom. 1, seem wise; because they who affirmed themselves to be wise, 12. Wisd. 13, 1. Ps. 18, 28. 7. 22. |